Letter-file.



Unirse Fnrnwr Critics.

CHRISTIAN KECK, OF CRESCENT SPRINGS, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR` TO THE GLOBE-WERNICKE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LETTER=HLE SPECIFCATXON forming part of Letters Patent No.. 726,437, dated .April 28, 1903. Application filed December l0, 1902. Serial No. 134,640. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, CHRISTIAN Knox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crescent Springs, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter-Files,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciication. Y

Myinvention relates to that class of drawer or tray files composed of a bottom piece, a front wall, and two side walls, the back end being left open andthe whole being intended for use as a temporary binder to beleft upon a desk or to be slipped into a drawer-compartment in a cabinet, as desired. This class of files is usuallyprovided with a spring-bail piece hinged to the back and adapted to be automatically pressed down upon the contents of the iile at or near the middle Aot' the same, and which bail can be raised whenever it is desired to gain access to or remove or replace the contents of the file; and it has for its object the provision or" novel mechanism by which the spring-bail is secured to and actuated upon the le, whereby simplic-V ity of construction, durability, and efficiency of action are attained. p

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional side elevation of aiile embodying myinvention. elevation on the dotted linea@ Qc of Fig. t with the bail turned down and pressing upon the contents of the tile. Fig. 3 is a corresponding view of Fig.` 2 with the bail shown thrown up. Fig. 4E is a plan view of Fig. l next to the wall end of the file. A

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts .in all the figures.

I provide a tray or drawer of the usual construction in this class of. tiles composed of a bottom piece A, a front wall B, and sidewalls C, united together in the usual or any suit-` Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional able manner. Upon the inner side of each of the side walls C next to the end Walls Bis a shallow metal housing D, secured to the side walls by screws or other suitable fastenings, as at a.

The free ends of the bail G next to the wall B pass through perforations ZJ in the housings D and have crank-arms c upon their ends confined within the housings, as seenV in Figs. 2 and 3. The ends of these crankarms have theirbearings against the concaved upper ends of tumblers E, whose similarlyconcaved lower ends havey their bearings against looped or gooseneck springs F within the housings, and the adjustment and relation of the parts are such that the tumblers E form toggle-joints between the crank-arms of the bail and the springs in'such manner that when the bail is down, as in Fig. 2, the tumblers are so turned as to exert pressure upon the bail to hold it down, and when the bail is raised, as in Fig. 3, the tumblers lare so turned that the springs exert pressure upon the crank-arms to hold the bail raised.

The foregoing constitutes a very simple,

cheap, and efficient spring construction for the bail, for the tumblers needA not be pivoted within the housings, and the springs F are set therein after the manner of gun-trigger and similar springs, and the housings D, being shallow, take up scarcely anyspace within the tray and do not interfere with the iiling or removal of the letters or papers, all as will be readily understood.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim* 1. In a file of the character described, a

locking-bail provided with crank-arms at its ends next to the front wall of the rile, a metal housing in which the bail is journaled at each side, said housings being secured to the side walls of the iile, a tumbler bearing at its upper end against each of the crank-arms, and a spring within each housing bearing against the lower end of said tumbler, whereby when said bail is raised a toggle-lock is formed to hold it in its raised position, and when said bail is lowered said toggle-lock is broken and F Within the housings, the crank-arms bearthe springs press the bail down upon the coning against; the upper ends of the tumblers Io tents of the file, substantially as described. and the springs bearing against their lower 2. In a. le of the character described, the ends.

combination of the side walls C, metal hous- CHRISTIAN KEOK. ings D secured lhereto, the bail G with crank- Witnesses: arms o journaled in said housings, the umn- WM. J. PECK,

bers E, within Ishe housings, and lhe springs EDWARD PECK. 

